Policy Brief, October 4, 2025 

Two decades after the Thessaloniki Summit, EU enlargement for the Western Balkans remains incomplete but increasingly strategic. In a time of geopolitical fragmentation, energy insecurity, and economic uncertainty, integration is no longer just a political aspiration—it is essential for Europe’s competitiveness and stability.

The region still faces major challenges: weak institutional capacity, fragmented policymaking, under-utilized EU funds, and limited coordination across governments. Education systems remain misaligned with labor market needs, driving youth emigration and constraining growth. Delayed accession has imposed a significant economic cost, with regional GDP per capita estimated to be one-third lower than it could have been.

Strategers Policy Brief calls for renewed reform momentum through:

• Strengthening institutional capacity and professionalizing public administration;

• Modernizing education and vocational systems to boost human capital;

• Fully utilizing EU instruments such as IPA III, WBIF, and the Reform and Growth Facility;

• Deepening regional cooperation via CEFTA and the Common Regional Market 2025–2028;

• Institutionalizing evidence-based policy through cooperation among government, academia, and think tanks.

EU integration remains the region’s path to modernization, requiring strategic acceleration—not incremental adjustment.